Comments for ENGL 165GS: Gaming the System https://engl165gs.wordpress.com
Designing for Social Justice
Wed, 22 May 2013 22:15:40 +0000
hourly
1 http://wordpress.com/
Comment on Outsource Frenzy Developer’s Update by Amanda Phillips https://engl165gs.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/outsource-frenzy-developers-update/comment-page-1/#comment-139
Wed, 22 May 2013 22:15:40 +0000http://engl165gs.wordpress.com/?p=505#comment-139Part of why white “caricatures” aren’t noticed in the same way is because whiteness has become something of an invisible term. I would also caution you from throwing out this critique entirely on the assumption that people don’t respond in the same way to stereotypes of whiteness. It’s important to remember that a “stereotype” of whiteness functions in very different ways than other racial stereotypes, partially because of the symbolic value that whiteness carries in society, and partly because of the fact that whiteness as a concept is quite a bit more diverse in terms of cultural representations than other racial identities. Because so many different types of white representations exist out there, it is more difficult for stereotypes to function in a damaging way.
]]>
Comment on Tethered Update by metalgreatone https://engl165gs.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/tethered-update/comment-page-1/#comment-138
Mon, 20 May 2013 05:36:04 +0000http://engl165gs.wordpress.com/?p=517#comment-138In regard to your choice on wanting the players to be able to pass through each other, it would seem like it would force the characters to work together more if they can get in each other’s way. You said that you did this for the sake of navigational ease, but what sort of navigational problems was that creating? Was one block just obstructing the other, or was it just that the lanes in the maze were too thin for them to be able to go through it side by side? If that’s the case, then you might want to consider making it so that only Player A is solid. If both were solid, then that would give Player B some power to be able to block A, but if only A is solid then they could use that to bully Player B as well. Also, having only one solid character would fix the problem of the maze’s lanes being too small, if that was the problem you were encountering. Just some food for thought.
Your post mentions that you’ve decided to make it so that the report option isn’t successful every time. How often is it successful, and what are you using to decide how often it is successful? Also, will Player A be notified when an unsuccessful report is filed? I think that it would be an interesting mechanic for Player A to see that Player B is trying to snitch on them. I guess the reactions would be different from player to player, but I think that could help to better demonstrate what happens in the sort of relationships that your game is attempting to replicate.
]]>
Comment on Bad Apple Update by kmorris12891 https://engl165gs.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/bad-apple-update/comment-page-1/#comment-137
Mon, 20 May 2013 05:15:52 +0000http://engl165gs.wordpress.com/?p=508#comment-137I really like this concept and I like the idea of a main room that leads to separate areas of gameplay. In the same vein as the previous comments, I think that the switch between serious and satire might be a little jarring and might muddle the message of the game a little bit, but I also think that it could be quite powerful if done right. I’m looking forward to seeing the final product! The commentary seems spot on and researched well. Keep at it!
]]>
Comment on Tethered Update by kmorris12891 https://engl165gs.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/tethered-update/comment-page-1/#comment-136
Mon, 20 May 2013 05:09:32 +0000http://engl165gs.wordpress.com/?p=517#comment-136In the same vein as the previous comment, I also would like to know whether or not there will be a message when the report button fails? I think there could be a power in either choice because with no message, it would give the feeling of being completely ignored and feeling helpless while a message could be used as a way to show that, while not being completely ignored, there really is no difference and it might feel worse because technically someone was “informed” and nothing happened.
]]>
Comment on Love Like a Cholo Update by kmorris12891 https://engl165gs.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/love-like-a-cholo-update/comment-page-1/#comment-135
Mon, 20 May 2013 05:04:25 +0000http://engl165gs.wordpress.com/?p=500#comment-135I like the way this game is starting to come together; I like that Javier’s social interactions will noticeably change according to which romantic partner he chooses and I like that you’ve made him queer and that his feelings will not change because it brings a layer of complexity to the game that might not have otherwise been there.

I’m looking forward to how this all plays out in the end! I think that it could turn out to be a very interesting look at the complications of coinciding a sexual identity with the rest of your social identity.

]]>
Comment on Love Like a Cholo Update by jessvillegas https://engl165gs.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/love-like-a-cholo-update/comment-page-1/#comment-134
Mon, 20 May 2013 05:00:48 +0000http://engl165gs.wordpress.com/?p=500#comment-134Hey Sardothien, thanks for the suggestions! None of us really consider ourselves drawers so we’d definitely welcome fanart! We don’t plan on including links to outside sources regarding the issue because we want it to be addressed through the narrative of the game.
]]>
Comment on Love Like a Cholo Update by jessvillegas https://engl165gs.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/love-like-a-cholo-update/comment-page-1/#comment-133
Mon, 20 May 2013 04:55:26 +0000http://engl165gs.wordpress.com/?p=500#comment-133Thank you for the questions! I want the dialogue and their interactions to be as organic as possible. I’m partly responsible for the homosexual love interest branch and I’ve found that writing dialogue between a Chicano cholo and young gay Black man has been particularly challenging. I aim to please, but seeing as I am neither a gay cholo nor a young gay Black man I initially worried that the interactions I was writing may have seemed unrealistic. I’ve been doing a lot a research to try to combat these concerns and incorporate dialogue that would be representative of what a relationship like this may be like.
]]>
Comment on Consequences Update. by kaironaut https://engl165gs.wordpress.com/2013/05/18/consequences-update/comment-page-1/#comment-132
Mon, 20 May 2013 04:54:11 +0000http://engl165gs.wordpress.com/?p=496#comment-132I like that you have chosen to make your game into one with a continuous narrative instead of a collection of mini-game events. I feel like it allows you more freedom in sending a complete message rather than a fragmented one, as you can have each minigame progress the player’s understanding of the issue incrementally. Though it seems like you have your work cut out for you as you have to make multiple mini-games as well as a narrative using Twine, I am excited to see what the results are like.
]]>
Comment on Love Like a Cholo Update by sardothien https://engl165gs.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/love-like-a-cholo-update/comment-page-1/#comment-131
Mon, 20 May 2013 04:51:44 +0000http://engl165gs.wordpress.com/?p=500#comment-131Interesting choice that you have Javier as queer from the get-go. I’m worried about the effect this may have on straight players of this game, but in the end I think it’s a smart move. I was curious how you were going to implement the choice of male/female love interest, but this cleared it up for me. I’m wondering if you’re going to have any links to outside sources regarding your issue? I believe that your game design does a great enough job that the issues at hand are pretty prevalent, but it couldn’t hurt to have some more links if you can incorporate it into the game. I’m a little sad that the visuals will be limited. I hope you’ll accept fanart!! Hahaha 🙂
]]>
Comment on Outsource Frenzy Developer’s Update by kaironaut https://engl165gs.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/outsource-frenzy-developers-update/comment-page-1/#comment-130
Mon, 20 May 2013 04:45:55 +0000http://engl165gs.wordpress.com/?p=505#comment-130I have to chime in to say that I agree with these concerns. While it’s obviously impossible to address every aspect of race and gender in your game, not to mention all the different intersections thereof, I would suggest that you are careful with your representations. You will have to tread a fine line in making a character representative of its specific circumstances without making it seem like a caricature or relying on too many stereotypes. Like pointed out above, even choosing a name can be a struggle since it can pigeonhole the character into a certain race when you are using that character to represent a variety of ethnicities.

I am also curious what variables a character’s race and gender will affect. Will it determine how investors/workers react to that character? Will the white male character have an easier time gaining the investor’s approval? Though you might not have answers to these questions yet, I am excited to see how it will develop.